Hi Austin and Jordan,
Do you have any advice or good resources for the management of gout, particularly in someone who has fitness-related goals? I have a few specific questions listed below, but I’m also interested in learning more in general about how to manage my condition. 1. Should I be limiting meat consumption and/or protein consumption in general? I’ve cut down on red meat, but I’m still eating a fairly high protein diet (at least as compared to the average American). If limiting protein is the correct course of action, would supplementing with BCAAs be useful?
2. Do I need to be concerned about actual damage to my joints that would persist after a gout flareup dies down? I’ve been trying to increase my overall activity level via walking and running, and I’m not sure how to train around the gout symptoms.
3. Is there any good way to identify an oncoming flareup other than the direct monitoring of pain symptoms? The doctor who initially treated me advised me that I should take colchicine at the first sign of a flareup, but I’m wary of noceboing myself if I start being hyper vigilant about any kind of foot pain. Thanks for any input you can offer!
There’s a bit more that’s needed to unpack here.
If you’re comfortable sharing, what other medical history do you have? What is your waist circumference? Any conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, or anything else? Do you drink alcohol regularly? Any medications that you take?
1- Modifying meat intake for patients who have established gout does not have a great deal of strong supporting evidence. However if you eat a large amount of meat I could make a case for substituting some of that for fish, dairy, and other plant sources from a general health standpoint. I do not think a BCAA supplement would be needed or helpful.
2- Recurring flares over time can result in crystal deposition in the joints, which can cause issues over time. However, I would manage your training around symptoms much as we would in any other situation (as outlined in our articles).
3- No, there isn’t really any other way unfortunately. You also don’t need to be hypervigilant about “any” foot pain; gout tends to present similarly and in similar joints for people.
Thanks for the quick response!
Other medical history: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, celiac disease, mild sleep apnea, allergies, various other minor things. No diabetes, high cholesterol, or consistently elevated blood pressure (I’ve had occasional high blood pressure readings). Not sure about waist circumference, but I’m 5’11" and 210lbs with more fat than would be ideal. Lots of medications (Armour thyroid, bupropion, fluoxetine, various allergy medications, occasional medication for gout). Alcohol consumption is moderate; usually 1-3 drinks about once a week.
1- Is there value in reducing protein intake, even if it comes from non-meat sources?
2/3 - Understood. I have an unfortunately large amount of experience managing orthopedic symptoms, so I can use the strategies that have served me well there.
Understood; thanks for the advice.